March 2020
I hardly know where to begin ... a lot has changed since my last post. Two words will sum it up: corona virus. As of today, April 4, Scott and I have been at home for 23 days. It feels like an eternity, and there are no signs of improvement. In fact, quite the opposite. If March felt like a year, April will probably feel like a decade.
While Scott works upstairs, I spend most of the day in the sunroom, painting, reading, cooking, cleaning. I try to paint a little bit every day so that I feel like I've accomplished something. But I don't want to paint too much for fear that I'll grow to hate it.
Here are the paintings and drawings I've been working on since my last post.
Oil on canvas 20h x 16w
This drawing was completed on Thursday, February 27 at Atlanta Artists Center.
I started this sink painting on March 3. No signs of a pandemic at this point. Some rumblings about the virus in the news, internationally, but no cases (that we knew of) in the US.
Figure Drawing on Thursday, March 5 at Atlanta Artists Center. I was ecstatic because I love the line/transition on the right where her forearm meets her upper arm. The elbow crease ... so much better than I've done in the past.
March 6th, I started this painting ... oil on canvas 20h x 16w
On Saturday, March 7, Scott and I went on a little field trip to Auburn, Alabama to see an exhibit of female outsider artists. I love to practice drawing while he's driving - he's very still, a captive audience, and I was pleased with how this turned out.
On Monday, March 9th I went to the High Museum for peer to peer training. That morning when I saw my friend Bryan, he elbow bumped me instead of a hug. And that's when I knew things had changed.
That Thursday, I went to AAC for the last time, and on Friday, March 13th, Scott and made the decision to stay home. On March 14, things began to shut down.
I tweaked an old abstract (top) old and (bottom) new and improved
I took another stab at collage
Worked a little more on more vase o' flowers
Tried another collage
Went back to a painting from October 2019 ...
I was running low on fresh flowers and the line at Trader Joe's was wrapped around the back of the building, so I snagged some azaleas from my neighbors' yards and did my best to make an arrangement I could paint ...
I also cut a camellia from our front yard and painted it ... my challenge was to paint clear glass and water on a light background, which is, I think, much more difficult to do than on a dark background. I was happy with the final painting.
Camellia, oil on panel, 12H x 9W
On March 25, in the midst of all of the virus chaos, I received some exciting news. My painting, "TJ Daisies" is accepted into the Booth Museum Guild art exhibition. No idea if or when we'll even have the exhibition, but the acceptance is validation of my work. Definitely helped keep me motivated at a time when things seem quite bleak.
Saturday, March 28th marked the 3 year anniversary of oil painting. I took my first oil painting class on March 28, 2017 with Karen Appleton at Chastain Arts Center. It's amazing to go back and look at some of those first paintings. There were many times in that first year that I wanted to quit, but I didn't. Boy, am I glad I stuck with it. Here are two of my paintings from that first round of classes with Karen.
I practiced some drawing using my John Singer Sargent book of sketches.
I snagged a dogwood branch from Piedmont Park and started a painting ...
We got lucky with our next Instacart delivery and scored some fresh roses.
Then I went back to abstracts ... gotta mix it up!
And is started participating in the Royal Academy of Arts (London) Twitter challenge, #RADailyDoodle ... cause... why not??? I have the time :)
Bicycle doodle using Procreate on our iPad (so fun)
An update on my Rose painting (as of April 4)
In addition to painting, we've been walking for about 45-60 minutes in Piedmont Park, usually in the mornings to avoid people. Fortunately the weather has been very nice.
And I've taken a gazillion pictures of my two sweet boys.
JuJu watching carpenter bees
My little O-doggie being his usual sweet self
We also revived our Homebartendr Instagram account, and now in the afternoons, Scott makes a cocktail and posts. He's also been watching You Tube videos on how to play the guitar.
We're trying to do what we can to feel normal, stay in a routine, and stay positive. Some days are easier than others. I'm grateful for what we have, and I don't take it for granted in the slightest.
We have a long ways to go, I'm afraid. #Day23 of our quarantine. 4/4/2020
While Scott works upstairs, I spend most of the day in the sunroom, painting, reading, cooking, cleaning. I try to paint a little bit every day so that I feel like I've accomplished something. But I don't want to paint too much for fear that I'll grow to hate it.
Here are the paintings and drawings I've been working on since my last post.
I started this sink painting on March 3. No signs of a pandemic at this point. Some rumblings about the virus in the news, internationally, but no cases (that we knew of) in the US.
March 6th, I started this painting ... oil on canvas 20h x 16w
On Saturday, March 7, Scott and I went on a little field trip to Auburn, Alabama to see an exhibit of female outsider artists. I love to practice drawing while he's driving - he's very still, a captive audience, and I was pleased with how this turned out.
On Monday, March 9th I went to the High Museum for peer to peer training. That morning when I saw my friend Bryan, he elbow bumped me instead of a hug. And that's when I knew things had changed.
That Thursday, I went to AAC for the last time, and on Friday, March 13th, Scott and made the decision to stay home. On March 14, things began to shut down.
I tweaked an old abstract (top) old and (bottom) new and improved
I took another stab at collage
Worked a little more on more vase o' flowers
Tried another collage
Went back to a painting from October 2019 ...
I was running low on fresh flowers and the line at Trader Joe's was wrapped around the back of the building, so I snagged some azaleas from my neighbors' yards and did my best to make an arrangement I could paint ...
I also cut a camellia from our front yard and painted it ... my challenge was to paint clear glass and water on a light background, which is, I think, much more difficult to do than on a dark background. I was happy with the final painting.
On March 25, in the midst of all of the virus chaos, I received some exciting news. My painting, "TJ Daisies" is accepted into the Booth Museum Guild art exhibition. No idea if or when we'll even have the exhibition, but the acceptance is validation of my work. Definitely helped keep me motivated at a time when things seem quite bleak.
Saturday, March 28th marked the 3 year anniversary of oil painting. I took my first oil painting class on March 28, 2017 with Karen Appleton at Chastain Arts Center. It's amazing to go back and look at some of those first paintings. There were many times in that first year that I wanted to quit, but I didn't. Boy, am I glad I stuck with it. Here are two of my paintings from that first round of classes with Karen.
I practiced some drawing using my John Singer Sargent book of sketches.
I snagged a dogwood branch from Piedmont Park and started a painting ...
We got lucky with our next Instacart delivery and scored some fresh roses.
Then I went back to abstracts ... gotta mix it up!
And is started participating in the Royal Academy of Arts (London) Twitter challenge, #RADailyDoodle ... cause... why not??? I have the time :)
An update on my Rose painting (as of April 4)
In addition to painting, we've been walking for about 45-60 minutes in Piedmont Park, usually in the mornings to avoid people. Fortunately the weather has been very nice.
And I've taken a gazillion pictures of my two sweet boys.
We also revived our Homebartendr Instagram account, and now in the afternoons, Scott makes a cocktail and posts. He's also been watching You Tube videos on how to play the guitar.
We're trying to do what we can to feel normal, stay in a routine, and stay positive. Some days are easier than others. I'm grateful for what we have, and I don't take it for granted in the slightest.
We have a long ways to go, I'm afraid. #Day23 of our quarantine. 4/4/2020
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